Cal study: Bully bosses feel inadequate

[The Straight Story]

Cal study: Bully bosses feel inadequate

Bosses who feel inadequate are more likely to bully their employees, says a study from University of California Berkeley and University of Southern California.

Researchers at UC Berkeley and USC published their study in the journal Psychological Science.

The study, based on role-playing sessions and “leadership aptitude tests,” showed that “power leads to aggression.”

Researchers “found a direct link among supervisors and upper management between self-perceived incompetence and aggression,” the report said.

Nathanael Fast, a management and organization professor at USC, led the study. Serena Chen, a Cal psychology professor, is one of the study’s authors.

“Incompetence alone doesn’t lead to aggression,” said Chen. “It’s the combination of having a high-power role and fearing that one is not up to the task that causes power holders to lash out.”

http://sacramento.bizjournals.com/sacramento/stories/2009/10/12/daily37.html

[RainDog]

1. Well, that explains Bush n/t

[valerief]

2. From the Duh files. Another study on What Everybody Knows. nt

[tonysam]

3. I can't feel sorry for them

The biggest asshole bullies are public school administrators, beginning with principals. It is almost impossible to get rid of them, unlike teachers.